


of ice packs and celebrations

by aurorstorm



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/F, Fluff, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-06-09
Updated: 2012-06-09
Packaged: 2017-11-07 08:52:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,323
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/429175
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aurorstorm/pseuds/aurorstorm
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Regina's not happy at all that Emma's been sneaking her son off to play basketball - but Emma has a plan to get Henry to play in the game on Saturday, and it ends up working out quite well for everyone.</p>
<p>(Prompt: Emma prompts Henry to join a school sports team (bonus if it's a violent!sport) and Regina is worried and peeved.)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Emma shuts the engine off before they actually reach the Mayor's house - Henry's orders, of course - and she smiles as Henry bounces out of his seat and pulls open the door for her.

"Hurry up! We might get in before she's home!"

Emma laughs. "Kid, I think she's gonna notice it anyway."

Henry shrugs and readjusts the ice pack dripping at his cheek, and takes Emma's hand with his free one. His easy gesture of affection fills her with warmth, and they round the corner onto the path leading to the house with their arms swinging happily between them - but freeze at the sight of the Mayor herself leaning against the doorframe.

"And what is it that I might notice?" Regina drawls -  _damn her and her superhuman hearing -_  and then her jaw drops. "Henry!" She marches towards the pair and wrenches Henry towards her, throwing a burning glare towards Emma. "What have you done to my son?"

Emma sighs and runs a hand through her hair. If only Henry hadn't turned to wave to her at precisely the wrong moment, this never would have happened.

"Mom, calm down, it's only a bruise!" Henry mutters, ducking his head down in embarrassment.

"I will  _not_  calm down," she hisses, eyes never leaving Emma's. "What the hell do you think you're doing? I am generous enough to give you one afternoon a week, and you can't even return him to me safely? I will not put the life of my son in the hands of such an irresponsible fool."

"Look, Regina, he was just playing basketball and he got a little distracted, that's all. Not exactly a matter of life and death."

Regina turns to Henry. "Am I to understand then, Henry, that this fresh-looking injury occurred at lunch break and had nothing to do with Miss Swan?"

"Uh..."

" _Henry._ "

Emma groans and gives in, interrupting the interrogation. "No, Regina. It happened at his basketball training after school."

A strange expression passes over Regina's face as she pauses - a look that makes Emma feel guilty all of a sudden - but it disappears as quickly as the anger returns. "So this is how you've been spending your precious afternoons with her, Henry? Sneaking off to trainings for a stupid game without my permission?"

"I'm sorry Mom," Henry mumbles, his foot scuffing the grown while he pushes the slippery ice pack back up against his swollen cheek. "I thought it would be fun, but I knew you wouldn't let me sign up."

"And with good reason!" Regina scoffs, gesturing at his face. "Go inside and get that ice pack wrapped up before you drop it. Oh, and for your dishonesty, I forbid you to attend any more of these trainings."

"What?" Emma lets slip without even thinking, the disappointment on her face incomparable to the utter dejection on Henry's.

"Aw mom, that's so unfair!" he whines.

"Seriously, he's a 10 year old kid and it's just a game!"

Regina raises an eyebrow. "I don't believe I need parenting advice from you of all people, Miss Swan. Now please, before you cause any more damage; leave."

Emma gives Henry a last, defeated wave as she turns and walks back to her car, but she can't help mulling over Regina's words.  _I forbid you to attend any more of these trainings._  Well, Emma realises, Regina doesn't have to know about the  _match_  on Saturday, does she? Emma decides that her and Henry have some planning to do that night - via walkie-talkie, of course.


	2. Chapter 2

"Okay, kid. Her curtains are still closed. Looks like the coast is clear."

" _Roger that!_ "

Emma chuckles against her walkie-talkie, still finding Henry's serious attitude to their plans a little endearing. She crosses her fingers as she crouches down in the bushes, hoping that Regina really is still asleep in her bedroom. Henry would be devastated if, after all their plotting, he couldn't make it to the game.

By the time Henry should be just about down the flight of stairs, Emma catches a slight movement of the curtains of the sitting room window.  _Shit!_  So Regina had been downstairs the whole time! "Henry!" she whispers frantically into the device. "Code red! Code red! Mission abort!"

But there's no reply, and Emma lets out a sigh, climbing out of the garden bed and walking towards the house. Sure enough, the front door swings open and Regina comes marching out, a defeated looking Henry slinking out after her.

"Of course. I should have known." Regina sneers at Emma, hands on her hips, practically radiating anger. She's wearing simple black sweatpants and a grey Abercrombie & Fitch sweater - probably as casual as Storybrooke's immaculately groomed Mayor ever gets, even on the weekend - as she obviously didn't plan on being seen so early. Her gaze flicks down to the defiant-looking ten year old now hovering between them. "Henry, I made it very clear that you were to play no more basketball."

"No you didn't!" Henry pouts, but there's a hint of mischief in his eyes. "You said that I can't go to any more trainings!"

"I - what?" Regina shakes her head, confused.

Emma clears her throat. "It's, uh, it's true. You only said he couldn't go to any trainings, but this is a match..." Emma notices Regina's shock at having her words turned against her, and tries a different approach that will hopefully appeal to the woman as a mother. "Henry's team needs him, Regina!" she pleads.

"Miss Swan, I simply cannot let you take him," Regina snaps, clearly trying to maintain some kind of control after being outsmarted. "It's far too risky. He has already been injured once, and under your careless vigil, I am sure it will happen again."

"Then why don't you come along?" Emma looks at Henry, who's more than a little confused by this turn of events. She can almost hear him thinking,  _this wasn't part of the plan!_

Regina is equally stunned. "Excuse me?"

"Come and watch the match! It'll be fun, and you should be there to cheer him on." Emma offers her a smile, but it falters when she notices how the corners of Regina's mouth turn down, and how she breaks their eye contact to stare down at her slip-on-sneaker clad feet. She crosses her arms across her chest, but Emma reads it as more of an act of self-defence than defiance.

"I don't think that Henry would particularly enjoy having my support," she replies. "I would just be an embarrassment to him."

Henry glances back towards Emma, shrugging his shoulders slightly, before stepping closer to Regina. "No, Mom, I'd... I'd really like you to see me play."

Regina's head snaps back up, eyes wide. "Oh." A faint blush colours her cheeks, and she throws Emma a glance filled with surprise and gratitude. "Well... oh, alright then. You can play." She tosses her hair back. "But I have to get changed into something more presentable."

Henry laughs and shakes his head. "No way Mom, we're already gonna be late!"

"Regina, you look fine," Emma agrees, but she can see that Regina is determined to keep up her professional, dignified appearance in front of the townspeople. _This could be fun_.

"I insist on -" Her speech is cut off when Emma lunges forward, grinning, and grabs her arm. "What are you doing? Let me go!" Regina finds herself being practically dragged over to Emma's car, and she glares at Henry as he opens up the passenger door for her.

"Nope. You're getting in the car now," Emma laughs, but something about the closeness of the other woman and her tight grip the smooth skin of Regina's wrist causes a wicked glint to come into her eye, and she's not completely sure why she leans in a little closer to Regina and breathes, "unless you'd like me to force you?"

She hears Regina's ragged breath catch in her throat, and the usually composed Mayor's cheeks flush red for a second time that morning, this time for an entirely different reason. It's not until Henry clears his throat that their eye contact breaks and Regina nods slightly. "Fine." She wrenches her arm from Emma's grasp and smooths down her sweater. "I'll go."

Moments later, as Henry starts chatting incessantly about the upcoming game with even more enthusiasm than he has for his book, Emma's pleased to notice that Regina can't stop smiling either.


	3. Chapter 3

Regina's been on her feet for the whole game, and that fancy jumper has long since been removed and is now tied casually around her waist - leaving her in just a white undershirt that perfectly sets off her olive skin. Her hair is a complete mess and her face is flushed from all the excitement as she cheers, waves and claps for her son. In short, as she watches her, Emma's never been so mesmerised.

"Shouldn't you be watching the game, Miss Swan?" Regina mutters as her eyes follow the ball down the court, a smile playing upon her unpainted lips.

"Uh. I… am?" Emma squeaks, blushing. She turns her attention back to the game just as one of Henry's teammates throws the ball over to him - until a tall kid she saw earlier knocks right into him and the two tumble to the ground with a loud grunt. Regina gasps and grabs onto Emma's forearm, squeezing painfully with her vice-like grip.

"Henry!" she cries out, and then turns to Emma. "Is he okay? What am I supposed to do?" Amidst her surprise that she isn't receiving a lecture about the inherent dangers of team sports, Emma notices the look of utter helplessness on Regina's face - she's trapped in the crowd, knowing that if she causes a scene she'll only embarrass her son.

Emma gives the hand on her arm a reassuring pat and whispers, "He'll be fine."

Sure enough, Henry and the boy laugh as they pull each other to their feet, and the game recommences with another shrill blast of the whistle. Regina lets out a sigh of relief, sharing a quick smile with Emma before returning her focus to the game as Henry takes off with the ball. Emma tries to keep up, but she's finding it pretty hard to pay attention as for some reason, Regina still hasn't removed her hand from Emma's arm.

The grip's a lot gentler than before, and Emma tries to ignore how much she's actually enjoying the contact. She coughs softly, shaking her arm just enough for Regina to finally notice and immediately release Emma's wrist. She flushes bright red and mutters an apology.

"It's alright," Emma chuckles. She's definitely enjoying the decision to bring Regina along.

They both find themselves drawn into the game once more, as one of Henry's teammates shoots a goal and scores draw equal. There's only a minute left in the game, and Emma crosses her fingers, cheering as Henry takes the ball and dribbles it down the court. His smaller size does actually give him an advantage, they notice, as he weaves and ducks his way through the taller boys.

"Come on, come on, come on…" Regina mutters, wringing her hands together. Henry's poised to shoot, and she screws her eyes shut. "I can't watch."

Emma nudges into her shoulder, startling Regina's eyes open again. "Oh, you're watching," she says, "'cause I'm not letting you miss this moment."

Henry crouches slightly and then springs up into the air, tossing the ball up with perfect aim. Both of his mothers gasp and bite their lips as the ball rolls once, twice, three times around the ring before finally dropping through.

Half of the crowd goes wild, Emma included, but no one cheers as loudly as Regina. She's actually in tears as she shouts out Henry's name, clapping high above her head. The siren blasts through the chaos, signalling the victory, and Emma puts an arm around Regina's waist and leads her down to court level. Henry comes barrelling over and launches into the both of them with a force that almost sends them sprawling. He clutches onto both of their waists, pulling them into a group hug as he bounces and cheers, "I did it! We did it!"

Emma laughs and ruffles his hair. "You did good, kid." Her arm is still wrapped around Regina's waist as the three of them embrace, and somehow, it all feels right.

Henry smiles up at Emma, his gaze hopeful. "Can we go for ice cream?"

"Uhh…" This would not be the ideal time to get on Regina's bad side, and Emma knows that Henry isn't usually allowed such treats. She gives Regina a questioning look, and the other woman shrugs and gives another real smile - she seems to be full of them today.

"Of course we can, dear," Regina says, "I think this calls for a celebration."

 

 

Emma watches in amusement as Henry drops his spoon into the bowl, groaning and clutching his stomach. "Too much," he whimpers. Regina simply raises an eyebrow and refrains from commenting.  _She really is in a good mood,_ _Emma thinks._

Their eyes meet over their son's dramatically slumped figure, and they share another smile that leaves a strange feeling in her stomach - the kind of feeling you'd get when your high school crush speaks to you, Emma supposes (because she'd never really stuck around in a school long enough to have one). She continues to watch her when they break eye contact and Regina takes a sip from her coffee.

"I'm really glad you came along today, Regina," she says quietly when Henry hops off his stool and trots away to get more napkins.

Regina gives her a brief, grateful smile before looking back down at the drink in her hands. "I'm glad, too." When Henry returns, vigorously rubbing at his chocolate-stained mouth with the napkins, she puts down her coffee and pats him on the shoulder. "So, Henry," she asks, "When is your next game?"


End file.
